#a search of ice and fire hasn't been working for me btw so all these quotes are from my random notes sorry for no cites

[vivacissimx]

Bran Stark exploring paradox (or, a free case study on the Night's King & Melisandre of Asshai!)

I am thinking about Old Nan telling Bran stories of the mythical Night's King, the 13th Lord Commander of the Watch who she insists was a (Brandon) Stark, a man who began his tale as a warrior with no fear. 'And that was the fault in him,' she would add, 'for all men must know fear.' I am thinking about this vis-à-vis Ned telling Bran in AGOT Bran I that a man can only be brave when he is afraid, immediately placing in young Bran's storyline the idea of yin yang relationships, and then I am thinking about that in relation to Melisandre's R'hllorian fire magic which is powered (or at least strengthened) by fear. I don't believe that last one's a controversial claim, but if it is, then as proof I would point to a) Davos remembering Lord Florent being burned alive and how Lord Florent had been strong and silent as the queen's men bound him to the post, as dignified as any half-naked man could hope to be, but as the flames licked up his legs he had begun to scream, and his screams had blown them all the way to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea--that is, Melisandre tells them and they all believe that the screams of fear made the ritual successful; and b) Varamyr Sixskins' eagle death, how when he tried to fly from it, his terror fanned the flames and made them burn hotter. If that's not scary enough, remember: there's not even an employee discount. Melisandre's visions prey on her own body and mind. When she stays awake to tend her fire, she bleeds black smoke, finds herself weeping, and her tears were flame. And still she drank it in. But at the same time, she can't sleep because she feared to dream. Sleep is a little death, dreams the whisperings of the Other, who would drag us all into his eternal night.

So, on one hand we have the terrible figure of the Night's King, absolutely fearless, ruling the night, with an obvious thematic connection to ice while on the other we have Melisandre, crusader against the night, whose (fire)power requires fear. Ice preserves while fire consumes. Additionally, both of them are involved in human sacrifice, and have their supernatural experiences connected to a devil-esque "lover" figure in the Corpse Queen & R'hllor himself (with whom Mel shares a special intimacy unlike even other red priests/priestesses). Old Nan says that the Night's King gave the Corpse Queen his soul when he gave her his seed; beyond having sex with Stannis and literally giving birth in service to her God, Melisandre also deprives herself of needed sleep because she would sooner sit bathed in the ruddy glow of her red lord's blessed flames, her cheeks flushed by the wash of heat as if by a lover's kisses. 'Oh that's just George's writing style--' well if it's just turn of phrase then WHY does Mance Rayder describe Mel's ruby glamor charm as being warm against my skin, even through the iron. Soft as a woman's kiss. Your kiss. But sometimes in my dreams it starts to burn, and your lips turn into teeth. Well?? Sure, GRRM can be romantic sometimes but that's not my point, my point is highlighting parallels in these seemingly opposite human/horror relationships. The Night's King fell in love with the Corpse Queen because he had no fear, while Melisandre found R'hllor because as a child slave all she had was fear & she needed to be able to locate dangers against her person. One brave, one afraid.

Now this has to do with Bran because of ASOIAF's general ice/fire dichotomy that throughout the text functions as metaphor for a dozen other dichotomies. The concept of dichotomous balance (presented in the harmonic title a song of ice and fire) is explicitly presented in the convergence Ned teaches Bran about: bravery or fear? Bravery and fear. Now a song of bravery and fear doesn't quite roll off the tongue but regardless, I bring this up because there's a lot of Dany = fire, Starks = ice, Jon = [redacted] going on which is absolutely a Thing and Important. Thematically crucial. Let it not be said that I said otherwise! Rather, I am tying it into what I see as the specific philosophical underpinning of BRAN. Of HIS motivations, which began forming in his very first scene which is the execution of a Night's Watch deserter, presented in it's social context as proper and civilized, but nonetheless being a ritual human sacrifice (to law & order). Bran has always had an element of defying exactitudes, which is why I personally don't think his TWOW storyline will be as simple as ally with my (good) siblings against our (bad) enemies. The wight called Coldhands is a Bran B-plot, and he is another case of complicating black and white--literally, he's black and white. Coldhands' extremities and eyes are "black as pudding" but the rest of him is "white as milk." He kills members of the Night's Watch who are technically his brothers in oath, except readers know they're the mutineers that murdered their commander which makes it okay. When Bran reduces him to being "[a] monster," Coldhands counters that he is "your monster, Brandon Stark." Jojen and Meera's oaths to Bran highlight dichotomies that converge as well: by earth and water, bronze and iron, ice and fire. The risk is yours Bran, as is the gift. The choice should be yours, too.

Speaking of Meera. She does this post the favor of connecting the importance of lessons in paradox Bran was taught in Winterfell with his future plotline:

"Remember Old Nan's stories, Bran. Remember the way she told them, the sound of her voice. So long as you do that, part of her will always be alive in you."

"I'll remember," he promised.